The Tears of a Clown

Sometimes people just crack up; sometimes one's past--along with self-inflicted abuses interspersed over the course of said past--manifest in forms of personal behavior widely considered inappropriate by more prudent, emotionally balanced members of civil society. Alcoholism is one of the numerous self-destructive avenues to achieve a lasting mental and emotional state of impaired perception. The website Addiction Intervention describes effects of alcoholism translating into a loss of memory, difficulty with learning, poor judgment and loss of inhibition, crying jags, bouts of hysteria, and anger. While professional medical treatment may "show at least some improvement in brain structure and cognitive functioning within a year of abstinence," lingering damage from addiction is not uncommon.

Non-drug related trauma may also have negative emotional and cognitive consequences, and oft-times results in anxiety. The website PsychGuides points out "when a person has an anxiety disorder, they may feel fearful or uncertain almost all the time. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the fear and anxiety that occur due to an anxiety disorder are markedly different than the brief episodes of these feelings that are commonly related to normal events, such as speaking at a public event or meeting a blind date."

Tormented Behavior

The marketing lexicon for anyone with enough charisma, insight, experience, or social mojo to inspire others and generally sway the public to embrace their point of view is "opinion leader." Glenn Beck has been an opinion leader for many over the years. A recent outburst on his radio program has given me pause to wonder where it is he seeks to lead: that being his ad hominem attack on Gov. Sarah Palin. Beck recently spoke at the Stop Iran Nuke Deal rally on the steps of the Capitol, along with Gov. Palin, Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and others. Although he didn't hear Gov. Palin's speech, he did see her conversing with Donald Trump. His emotional rant was so detached from reality as to merit a review:

"I didn't listen to her speech. Yeah, I'm gonna' say it: I don't care what Sarah Palin says anymore. Sarah Palin has become a clown. I'm embarrassed that I was once for Sarah Palin. Honestly, I'm embarrassed. 'Why do I say that about Sarah Palin; how could you possibly say that about Sarah Palin?' Because I don't know who she is anymore! I don't know what she stands for! I saw a clip of her talking to Donald Trump: What the hell is that? I don't even know who she is anymore. I don't know what she stands for; I don't know! She doesn't know what I stand for! We had a falling out long ago because she listened to people who were lying to her about me! Fine: don't care! I don't care!"

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Glenn was an alcoholic for some years--certainly a reasonable indication of an addictive personality--along with having experienced--by his own admission--a somewhat traumatic childhood; had various medical issues over the years (some required extensive hospitalization), in addition to being in a high-anxiety business where messianic complex issues brought about from fame and fortune are a challenge. As Glenn lamented during a special moment of personal insight, "Celebrity, fame and TV/radio are poison to humans I believe. At least it has been to me. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy." Unless one has been listening to Glenn's talk radio show regularly over the years, it wouldn't be apparent how contradictory Glenn's open letter of apology to Gov. Palin actually is, given his broadcast history.

A Clownish Apology

Regarding Gov. Palin's decision to keep Glenn at arm's length--part of why he's in such a snit, it would seem--Glenn offered the following in his open letter:

"I don't know what they were told or by whom, but I can guess as it most likely was the same person that tried to drive a stake through my relationship with Mark Levin and Sean Hannity, and did for several years. Thank God, I finally reached out to them, because I had been told things about them and they were the same lies that they were told about me."

Amazing how one anonymous person could cause so much mischief, is it not? Years ago, Glenn had a wicked sense of humor (not in a bad way, necessarily). A real problem, however, was his inability to discriminate between friend and foe, often appearing simultaneously jealous and paranoid. Glenn has ridiculed Gov. Palin on his program just as he ridiculed Levin and Hannity, although less so with Rush: one competitor in the broadcast industry for whom he reserves a certain air of reverence, if not awe. Glenn's acerbic sense of humor has waned, morphing into a moribund presentation more aligned with the imbalance and incoherence of an ideologue. It's unfortunate, as humor is the most effective way to combat "UniParty" establishment forces fighting constitutional conservative and tea party movements. Comparatively, Gov. Palin's sense of humor is in fine form; mocking and exposing the lies and deceit with informed wit, as do other opinion leaders such as Levin, Mark Steyn, Hannity, and Rush, without criticizing those pursuing the same basic conservative objectives, even if not entirely in "lockstep." As for "getting it right" on issues, Gov. Palin's record of consistent, principled defense of Reaganesque Constitutional Conservatism is a preferred philosophical alternative to Glenn's libertarianism and the mental gymnastics necessary to defend its twists and turns. Gov. Palin's extraordinary political record--should one be curious enough to actually research it versus learning about it via establishment media--further cements her rock-ribbed integrity and positive influence upon our national political discourse.

Constitutional Conservative Integrity

Anyone paying attention knows Gov. Palin's endorsement is the most sought-after, effective vehicle for conservative candidates to eclipse the superior funding and Beltway Bubble connections of status quo establishment-backed opponents; the real enemies of Reaganesque Constitutional Conservatism. The list of her successes with anti-establishment, conservative candidates is without peer. If there is anyone having done more on the campaign trail to elect constitutional conservatives since 2008, feel free to comment on who they are and how their results have been more productive than those of Gov. Palin. When Gov. Palin said in her speech on the Capitol steps, "You don't reward terrorism; you kill it," perhaps Glenn found the directness of her message too brutal; lacking the nuance of his latest strident admonitions and--more to the point--contradicting his visions of a uniform Kumbaya effort to right our ship of state. Most Americans, it would seem, find Gov. Palin's prescription for terrorism spot on. Glenn's antipathy towards Donald Trump is well known--if not his obsessiveness over it--to the point one must wonder if he finds every other candidate in the Republican primary contest having preferable credentials compared with Trump's leadership style and business accomplishments. Ultimately, it is sad Glenn will not relax his prejudice long enough to see what Trump brings to the contest; why a fighting spirit is so crucial to gaining approval from the conservative base. I'm not a Trump aficionado per se, but how can there be any rational doubt about the value of Trump turning the PRINOE* weenies on their corrupt little heads? They rigged the 2016 election for Jeb (back in 2012) in subtle, clever ways few in political punditry have addressed. A Trump/Cruz ticket may be the only option to defeat them. (*Progressive Republican-In-Name-Only Establishment) Gov. Palin has not endorsed Trump; nor does she profess "love" for Trump as Glenn states in his rather weird open letter. But Gov. Palin does clearly understand--as do Levin, Rush, Steyn, Hannity, etc.,--who it is doing their dead level best to defeat constitutional conservatives in the Republican primary unfolding before us in real time: it is the PRINOE weenies...the same PRINOE weenies pulling out the stops to beat Reagan during his fight to take back the Republican Party from the progressive, quid pro quo crony capitalists selling out our American security to pad their net worth; the very same PRINOE weenies Charles C. Johnson exposed with their Chicago-style election subversion and voter fraud to steal Chris McDaniel's Senate victory and instead seat crony Thad Cochran: another PRINOE weenie. As Glenn opined in his open letter, "...Todd told me on the phone, 'we have been told who our real friends are.' I was stunned. I had backed her hard in every way I knew how..." Todd got it right, as did his wife; it's been a long time since Glenn was a friend of Gov. Sarah Palin.